Bullfinch wasn't always on his own nor was he always called by his current name, he was once apart of a great clan known as Bluffclan and had been given the name Redtail once he completed his warrior training. Though he was never the fighting type, he preferred peace and tranquility. While out on patrols, he would often prefer to settle disturbances from the other clans with words rather than teeth and claws. This worked most of the time, but one of the clans would always choose violence and would ignore the words of Redtail which led into skirmishes between the patrol parties. He didn't like to fight, but if he had to defend his clan mates from any threat, he never hesitated to do so, even if it felt like the wrong choice for him to make.
He was greatly trusted and favored by many of his clan mates, most even assumed that one day he would be made deputy and then become the clan leader! Redtail could never see himself as ever being in such a high rank as deputy or leader, but he vowed to always serve his clan in anyway he could. But one day, something happened that would change everything forever.
While he was out on a solo patrol, he noticed a shredded nest on the ground and small, cracked eggshell pieces strewn about the grass and dirt. He frowned at the site, he understood as warriors they had to hunt to survive, but to hunt eggs or young birds that can't even fight back? It made him feel sick, surely Starclan wouldn't like that either. He approached the broken nest and gently tried piecing it back together, it was nowhere near perfect as he imagined the mother and father originally made it to be, but at least it didn't look as awful.
He picked the mended nest up and slowly began to make his way up the tree, being careful of where he placed each paw. Once he pulled himself up and steadied his paws onto one of the branches, he saw more bits of twig and grass in the crook of the branch. That must be where the nest once was, he gently set it down and nudged it back into the corner. He diverted his gaze away from the nest and turned up towards the sky...he hoped the owners of this nest would be able to fix it up better than he did.
With a sad sigh, he leapt down from the branch and landed with a soft thud near the bush where he found the nest. But then, a sharp crack sound broke through the silence of the forest and Redtail froze where he stood. His ears rotated towards the small bush beside him as it rustled a bit, more cracking sounds came from within its dense leaves.
He gently moved away some of the leaves to find a cracking egg, a small gray beak poked out from a hole in the shell. His eyes widened, instantly feeling an urge to defend the helpless chick, he moved into the bush and settled down beside the egg...unsure of how long it would take, he couldn't just leave it here...he would come up with a way to explain it to his leader later.
Hours passed and Redtail dozed off, being awoken by a soft chirp and the sensation of something nudging his shoulder. He slowly stirred awake and came face to face with the chick. It had hatched! He couldn't help but smile at the young bird as it chirped at him before nuzzling its way onto the patch of fur between his shoulder. It settled down comfortably and began to sleep...Redtail's heart swelled with joy, but he knew this couldn't be permanent...bird and cats are destined enemies, predator and prey couldn't be friends, could they? Feeling conflicted, he opted to falling back to sleep...maybe things would look better once he got some more rest.
Redtail opened his eyes to find himself surrounding in fields of tall and soft grass, a bluish-purple colored land that sparkled with stars of all sizes...he was in Starclan? He was taken aback, what happened? He must have looked absolutely shaken because a cat approached him, their fur was transparent and seemed to sparkle slightly brighter than the stars around them.
"
Relax Redtail, you're not dead." The cat purred in an attempt to ease his fears, which worked. "
We have a message for you, it has to do with your new friend."
"
You mean the bird?" He asked, his head tilted to the side.
The cat nodded, "
Yes, this bird has been entrusted to you by Starclan. You possess a peace like no other cat in your clan, you strive to do the right thing and that is why we can trust you with this task..." as the cat spoke, they met Redtail's eyes, he was lost in how white they were...completely solid yet a pale color of what they once were seemed to faintly glow within them, he had missed what the cat had been saying when he was snapped out of his daze. "
... I do apologize that it will not be easy...but this is how it must be."
"
Wait what did you say?" Without being able to ask further, he felt the ground disintegrating beneath his paws. "
Wait-wait-wait what? Task?! What task?!" He yowled as he felt the world beneath him give out and he was falling.
He jolted awake and breathed hard, his chest heaving in and out with every sharp breath he took. What in Starclan's name just happened? He was given a task and completely missed it...something to do with the bird...the bird! Redtail could still feel the bird nestled between his shoulders and sighed with relief, unsure of the path he now walked, he decided it was time to return home to Bluffclan. He had faith that Starclan would guide him even if he didn't understand what or why he was doing what he was soon to do. He just hoped that his clan would be the same way.
Moons passed since Redtail returned to his clan with the young bird, it was now a fledgling and already learning how to fly. Redtail made it his duty to make sure the bird lived and was able to grow up into an adult. Through their time together, the pair had bonded and knew one another so well that despite being completely different species, they felt they could understand each other. But not all were happy with this sort of companionship beginning to grow within the clan...Redtail's clan mates looked down on him now, to them it seemed just wrong for a cat to be friends with a bird, an animal that they regularly hunt to survive.
Redtail tried to explain his reasoning behind why he takes care of the bird but to no avail...he himself didn't even know why, but he felt something deep inside him telling him this is what he had to do.
Sure enough, a clan meeting had been called and Redtail was summoned to face the leader.
"
Redtail, if you refuse to get rid of that bird...then you'll be forced to leave us."
"
I cannot!" Redtail retorted, "
I am sorry that I can't explain why to you, but Starclan visited me in a dream and mentioned something about this bird," he motioned with a paw to the bird, who stayed perched on his shoulder. "
and I will not go against Starclan's words." He stood his ground, his leader was practically fuming.
"
Then you leave me no choice, you are a threat to our future, what's next? MICE? FISH??" The clan leader roared at Redtail, who stood beneath the clan rock, surrounded by his clan mates who yowled in laughter.
"
Redtail, you are exiled from Bluffclan."
The words hit him hard, his family, his clan...just throwing him out so easily, how could they? After everything he had done for them? Redtail felt more confused than ever now...now he was exiled, had an unknown message from Starclan, and alone.
Without another word to any cat, Redtail left the clan. His heart ached as he walked through the territory one last time, he could hear the sounds of light paw steps following after him. His former clan mates were making sure that he was out of their territory.
He felt a tear stream down his cheek as he made it to Bluffclan's border, a steep and sharp rock path that weaved its way through the rocks. He took one last glance behind him to meet the eyes of his angry clan mates, teeth barred as some hissed at him.
Seeing their true colors and who they truly were after everything they had been through together, made Redtail want to leave even more than the fact that he had just been exiled. He took the leap and left Bluffclan's borders, running off into land that was far from any of the clans he once knew, running into the unknown with nothing but a strange message and a bird on his shoulder.
Redtail forgot his name that his former clan gave him and took on the name Bullfinch. He now wanders the surrounding lands, seeking this mysterious prophecy from Starclan, at least he isn't completely alone...the bird, who he has given the name "Eura" is always with him. Maybe Eura also knows that they are destined for something greater in this life...Bullfinch likes to hope he does, Starclan did trust him with this bird after all.
There just had to be more for them!